Google is not simply a search engine; it is a way of life, if you need any kind of information just Google it! Having become a verb, Google is the go to for research. What is so valuable about it is that it is free! On many occasions I have Google’d a topic for one of my courses in need of scholar texts and credible sources. Or I looked for a free, online copy of a text and found it.
Being free to us, how do the creators of Google gain profit? More importantly, how do the authors of the free material get profit for their work? While we are benefiting from free information, the creators and staff of Google are well off due to funding and other products launched off the Google name such as Google Play, which gives users access to music, movies, books, apps, and games all in one convenient location.
The authors, who have put in tireless hours of work putting together content for the world, are not getting anything in return. Google Scholar and Google Blogger alone, not looking at other tools such as Google Analytics and Google and Google website Optimizer, the world has access to thousands of pages of information at their convenience.
As a student, I am at a dilemma with this topic. Google has saved me on many occasions. As a college student, having free and credible information readily when I need it is highly valuable. However, as a writer I feel my words are valuable and I would like to receive compensation in return for my work. I do not believe Google will ever charge people and it will remain free. However authors should be rewarded for their work. This will be an argument for many years to come, and I hope that the matter will be resolved peacefully and efficiently.